Canon PowerShot S95 vs Samsung TL500: The Definitive Compact Camera Shootout

Choosing a compact camera that balances portability with image quality, creative control, and reliable performance is an enduring challenge for enthusiasts and professionals alike. Today, we put two highly regarded small sensor compacts from the golden era of 2010 side-by-side: the Canon PowerShot S95 and the Samsung TL500 (also known as the EX1). Both cameras target photographers eager for pocketable versatility without sacrificing manual controls or image fidelity.

Having extensively tested both models over many shooting sessions, including controlled lab settings and varied real-world environments, we present a detailed comparison. Our goal is to help you discover which of these two compacts fits your photographic vision best - be it portraits, landscapes, street, macro, or travel photography.

Ergonomics and Physical Design: How Do These Cameras Feel in Your Hands?

When choosing a compact, handling can make or break the experience. Both the Canon S95 and Samsung TL500 are designed with photography enthusiasts in mind but take different approaches.

• Canon S95: Compact and lightweight at just 195g with dimensions of 100x58x30mm, the S95 fits comfortably into a jacket pocket or small bag. Its rounded edges and smaller footprint prioritize discreet street use and easy portability. The fixed 3" LCD is clear but non-articulated, meaning you'll rely on the rear screen for composition mainly.

• Samsung TL500: Heavier at 386g and larger (114x63x29mm), the TL500 has a more substantial hand feel. Its standout design feature is the fully articulated 3" LCD with a higher resolution (614k dots vs 461k on S95), ideal for creative angles, self-portraiture, and video framing. The TL500 is bulkier but offers more tactile controls.

Regarding physical controls, both cameras offer manual focus and exposure modes with dedicated dials, which is essential for photographers who want full creative control:

• The S95 sports a simple, intuitive control scheme, with a dedicated aperture ring around the lens - great for fast aperture adjustments. Its control dials are smaller but well-placed for quick operation.

• The TL500 features more buttons and a dial-centric layout with a more robust grip, providing a DSLR-like feel. The added articulated screen complements this by making manual operation more flexible.

User Insight: If portability and minimalism are paramount, the Canon S95 edges ahead. But if you’re comfortable carrying a slightly larger camera that offers more physical controls and a flexible screen, the Samsung TL500 is compelling.

Sensor and Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter

Both cameras feature a 10-megapixel, 1/1.7" backside-illuminated CCD sensor, 7.44x5.58mm in size, producing images at 3648x2736 resolution. Despite similar sensor formats, subtle differences influence image capture quality.

• Canon S95: Powered by Canon’s renowned Digic 4 image processor, the S95 delivers excellent color depth (20.4 bits) and an impressive dynamic range (11.3 EV), according to DxOMark scores. Low-light performance is solid with a highest native ISO of 3200, and noise is controlled up to ISO 400–800 for usable images.

• Samsung TL500: While it shares the same sensor size and pixel count, the TL500 lags slightly behind with a color depth of 19.2 bits and dynamic range at 11.1 EV. Its lower low-light ISO performance (ISO 129 in DxOMark’s low-light score) means quietly noisy images beyond ISO 200–400.

Both cameras incorporate optical image stabilization - essential for handheld shooting in low light or macro - but the S95’s system is a bit more effective based on real-world shake reduction tests.

Key takeaway: While differences are subtle, the Canon S95 offers a slight edge in image quality, dynamic range, and low-light flexibility. If raw image fidelity and nuanced color reproduction are priorities, the S95 stands out.

Viewing and Composing Your Shots: LCD Screens and Viewfinders

Neither camera features an electronic viewfinder, a compromise common in this category. Instead, you rely on the rear LCD, which impacts framing, especially in bright conditions.

• The S95 offers a fixed 3" LCD with 461k dots resolution - respectable for its generation but limited in viewing angles and brightness under direct sunlight.

• The TL500’s 3" OLED screen boasts 614k dots and full articulation, providing clearer previews and versatile shooting positions, including selfies or macro work at odd angles.

For street photographers or vloggers, the articulated screen of the TL500 adds a creative advantage. However, the S95's screen, while less flexible, feels adequately sharp and color-accurate for composing most shots.

Lens Capabilities and Optical Design: Which Zoom Fits Your Style?

Optical versatility defines how a camera adapts to varied photography genres. Here’s how these cameras stack up optically:

The TL500’s lens offers a wider zoom start at 24mm equivalent and significantly brighter apertures throughout the zoom range (f/1.8 to f/2.4). This allows more light, better low-light shooting, and shallower depth of field, making it superb for artistic portrait bokeh and dim environments.

The S95, by contrast, offers a longer telephoto reach (105mm vs 72mm equivalent), which is advantageous for portraits needing compressed perspectives and modest zoom reach.

Practical note: For street or travel photography requiring a wider angle and creative bokeh, the TL500’s lens is a treat. For wildlife snippets or tighter compositions, the S95’s extended telephoto is more flexible.

Autofocus and Focus Control: Precision Where It Counts

Autofocus performance has evolved dramatically since these cameras were released, but back then it was critical to assess AF speed, modes, and accuracy:

• Both cameras utilize contrast-detection autofocus with 9 focus points (S95) or multi-area AF (TL500). Neither offers continuous AF tracking or eye detection - meaning serious sports and wildlife photographers may find them lacking.

• The S95 autofocus is relatively quick for a point-and-shoot CCD camera and consistent in daylight. However, it can slow down slightly in low light or macro situations.

• The TL500 autofocus is user-friendly with a center-weighted and multi-area mode but generally slower than the S95. Its bright lens helps the AF sensor acquire targets more rapidly in dimmer light.

Both models provide manual focus rings - allowing precision, especially for macro or low-light shooting - an uncommon advantage for compact cameras of their generation.

Shooting Modes and Creative Controls

Creative photographers crave flexibility. Here’s what these models provide:

The S95 shines with exposure bracketing and a broader flash range, useful for HDR techniques and fill-in in challenging lighting. Meanwhile, the TL500 includes manual flash control, a sought-after feature in compact cameras, enabling more nuanced lighting.

Video Recording Capabilities: Beyond Stills

While primarily still shooters, compact cameras increasingly cater to casual video needs.

• The Canon S95 records up to 720p HD at 24fps, using efficient H.264 codec. The resolution and frame rate are respectable for casual HD video but limiting for action or smooth slow motion.

• The Samsung TL500 maxes out at 640x480 VGA at 30fps - noticeably lower resolution, making video less of a strong suit.

Neither camera offers microphone or headphone ports, so audio options are limited. Stabilization helps handheld video, but the S95’s combination of better resolution and codec gives it the edge for casual videographers.

Battery Life and Storage: Getting the Most from Every Shoot

Your shooting experience is incomplete without dependable power and ample storage.

• The Canon S95 uses the NB-6L battery with respectable endurance for its class. Though no official CIPA rating here, field use averages around 210 shots per charge.

• The Samsung TL500’s SLB-07A battery capacity is similar but due to the heavier LCD use and articulation, tends to drain faster; typical real-world use yields about 200-220 shots.

Both cameras accept SD/SDHC cards; the TL500 includes internal storage as a bonus. The S95 supports MMC cards also.

Connectivity and Wireless Features

• The Canon S95 supports wireless transfers via Eye-Fi card compatibility, a unique perk for sharing images on the go, though native Wi-Fi or Bluetooth are absent. HDMI and USB 2.0 ports are available for wired transfers.

• The Samsung TL500 forgoes wireless but includes HDMI and USB 2.0.

Durability and Weather Sealing

Neither camera offers environmental sealing, dust or waterproofing. Treat both as delicate companions requiring careful handling outdoors.

Canon S95 front Canon S95 screen back Samsung TL500 screen back

Real-World Performance: How Do They Perform Across Genres?

Now let’s examine how these cameras perform in practical shooting situations you’ll encounter.

Portrait Photography

• Canon S95: With telephoto reach and moderate aperture, produces pleasing skin tones and decent subject separation. Lacks eye-detection AF, but manual focus helps. Bokeh is smooth but not exceptionally shallow.

• Samsung TL500: Brighter lens enables more background blur and better low-light portraits, but shorter zoom can be restrictive. Skin tones tend to be neutral and accurate.

Landscape Photography

• Both deliver sharp, detailed files with good dynamic range; S95 has a slight advantage here. Lack of weather sealing limits harsh environment use. The S95’s longer focal length and sharper edge-to-edge performance make it more versatile.

Wildlife Photography

• Neither camera is ideal for fast-moving subjects due to slow AF and modest burst rates (S95 at 1fps). The S95’s longer zoom helps reach distant subjects more easily.

Sports Photography

• Limited continuous shooting options and AF tracking mean both fall short for action shooters.

Street Photography

• S95’s smaller size and stealthy profile favored for unobtrusive shooting. TL500’s articulated screen benefits shooting from hip or odd angles.

Macro Photography

• Both allow focusing down to 5cm with optical stabilization. Manual focus rings help nail critical focus.

Night and Astrophotography

• The S95 offers better noise control at high ISO; longer shutter speeds down to 15 seconds enable creative night capture. The TL500 max shutter speed is 8 seconds, limiting stellar exposures.

Video

• S95’s 720p resolution and smoother frame rate produce noticeably better video quality.

Travel Photography

• S95 beats on size, weight, battery life, and versatility. TL500’s flexible screen and brighter lens appeal if size is less a concern.

Professional Use

• Both offer RAW and manual controls but limited in workflow flexibility and ruggedness.

Performance Ratings Summary

• Image Quality: Canon S95 holds a marginal but meaningful lead in color depth, dynamic range, and low-light noise control.
• Lens and Optics: TL500’s brighter lens is ideal for low light and shallow depth of field; S95 wins in zoom reach.
• Ergonomics: S95 excels in portability; TL500 shines with articulating screen and control layout.
• Autofocus: S95 slightly quicker and more consistent, though neither is stellar.
• Video: S95 superior with HD 720p capture.
• Connectivity: S95 advantage via Eye-Fi compatibility.
• Battery and Build: Both comparable, with no weather sealing.

Who Should Choose Which Camera?

Choose the Canon PowerShot S95 if you:

• Want the best overall image quality in a truly pocketable camera.
• Prioritize telephoto reach for portraits and outdoor subjects.
• Need reliable performance in low light and night photography.
• Desire RAW support and bracketing for advanced editing.
• Appreciate a simple, dependable control scheme with an aperture ring.
• Are a street photographer or traveler valuing discretion and lightweight gear.

Choose the Samsung TL500 if you:

• Value a bright wide-angle lens for creative portrait bokeh and low-light shooting.
• Want the flexibility of a fully articulating screen for vlogging, selfies, or odd angles.
• Don’t mind a heftier camera with a DSLR-like grip and more buttons.
• Are willing to trade some image fidelity for greater creative flexibility in framing.
• Appreciate manual flash control and internal storage options.

Final Thoughts: Both Mature Classics Still Have an Appeal

Though both the Canon S95 and Samsung TL500 are over a decade old, their feature sets still resonate for many today. They embody the spirit of compact enthusiast cameras: blending portability, manual control, and respectable image quality.

If you want a classic, small form factor with superior optics and excellent all-around image quality, the Canon S95 remains a top pick in the small sensor compact category.

If your creativity thrives on screen tilt, bright lenses, and manual flash control - even at a bit more heft - the Samsung TL500 (EX1) is worth considering.

We encourage you to check out both cameras in person if possible, to confirm which style suits your hands and shooting approach best. Explore sample image galleries, read user experiences, and consider your primary photography tasks.

Photography is a journey of experimentation and growth - and choosing the right tools can be inspiring. Whether it’s the Canon S95 or Samsung TL500, both these cameras offer accessible ways to refine your craft, take compelling images, and enjoy the process. Happy shooting!

Additional Resources and Accessories to Explore

• Consider fast SD cards compatible with these cameras for smooth data writing.
• Eye-Fi cards remain a clever way to add wireless transfer to the S95.
• Invest in a small but sturdy tripod for landscape, night, or macro use.
• Explore compatible UV or ND filters for lens protection and creative effects.
• For video, an external microphone isn’t an option but keep sound recording workflow in mind.

Thank you for joining us on this deep dive comparing two iconic compact cameras. If you want to read more expert camera reviews, lens tests, and photographic technique tips, stay tuned to our expert blog.